Wesley B. Baker, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neurology
Department: Neurology
Graduate Group Affiliations
Contact information
3501 Civic Center Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: 8145713886
Email:
bakerw@chop.edu
bakerw@chop.edu
Publications
Education:
BS (Physics)
Bucknell University, 2005.
PhD (Physics)
University of Pennsylvania, 2015.
Permanent linkBS (Physics)
Bucknell University, 2005.
PhD (Physics)
University of Pennsylvania, 2015.
Description of Research Expertise
I am a physicist with specialization in optics in biological tissues. In 2015, I received my PhD in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania under the supervision of Arjun Yodh. I then completed a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship mentored by W. Andrew Kofke in the department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Emergent themes from my previous work include (1) studying ischemic pathophysiology with diffuse optics, (2) formulating new analytical models/paradigms to improve the fidelity of cerebral hemodynamic data based on optical signals, and (3) devising new clinical applications for diffuse optics, such as non-invasive monitoring of cerebral perfusion pressure. As a researcher in biomedical optics, I aim to develop optical tools for clinical use. Broadly, I envision designing clinical research that furthers the prognostic utility of optical tools in the treatment of acute brain injury. I also envision harnessing cerebral hemodynamic data from optical measurements in human patients and pre-clinical animal models to illuminate etiologies of neurological injuries/disorders with the hope of establishing novel therapies (e.g., ischemic stroke, hydrocephalus).Selected Publications
Rajagopalan S, Baker WB, Mahanna-Gabrielli E, Kofke AW, Balu R.: Hierarchical Cluster Analysis Identifies Distinct Physiological States After Acute Brain Injury. Neurocrit Care 36(2): 630-639, Apr 2022.A Lafontant, E Mahanna Gabrielli, K Bergonzi, R Forti, TS Ko, TM Shah, JS Arkles, D Licht, AG Yodh, WA Kofke, BR White, WB Baker: Comparison of optical measurements of critical closing pressure acquired before and during induced ventricular arrhythmia in adults. Neurophotonics in press, 2022.
Li Z, Englund EK, Langham MC, Feng J, Jia K, Floyd TF, Yodh AG, Baker WB.: Exercise Training Increases Resting Calf Muscle Oxygen Metabolism in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease. Metabolites 11: 814, Nov 2021.
Kirschen MP, Majmudar T, Beaulieu F, Burnett R, Shaik M, Morgan RW, Baker WB, Ko TS, Balu R, Agarwal K, Lourie K, Sutton R, Kilbaugh T, Diaz-Arrastia R, Berg R, Topjian A: Deviations from NIRS-derived optimal blood pressure are associated with worse outcomes after pediatric cardiac arrest. Resuscitation 168: 110-118, Nov 2021.
Jang DH, Piel S, Greenwood JC, Kelly M, Mazandi VM, Ranganathan A, Lin Y, STarr J, Hallowell T, Shofer FS, Baker WB, Lafontant A, Andersen K, Ehinger JK, Kilbaugh TJ: Alterations in cerebral and cardiac mitochondrial function in a porcine model of acute carbon monoxide poisoning. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 59(9): 801-809, Sep 2021.
Flanders TM, Lang SS, Ko TS, Andersen KN, Jahnavi J, Flibotte JJ, Licht DJ, Tasian GE, Sotardi ST, Yodh AG, Lynch JM, Kennedy BC, Storm PB, White BR, Heuer GG, Baker WB: Optical Detection of Intracranial Pressure and Perfusion Changes in Neonates With Hydrocephalus. J Pediatr. May 2021.
Padawer-Curry JA, Volk LE, Mavroudis CD, Ko TS, Morano VC, Busch DR, Rosenthal TM, Melchior RW, Shade BC, Schiavo KL, Boorady TW, Schmidt AL, Andersen KN, Breimann JS, Jahnavi J, Mensah-Brown KG, Yodh AG, Mascio CE, Kilbaugh TJ, Licht DJ, White BR, Baker WB: Effects of circulatory arrest and cardiopulmonary bypass on cerebral autoregulation in neonatal swine. Pediatr Res. May 2021.
White BR, Padawer-Curry JA, Ko T, Baker W, Breimann J, Cohen AS, Licht DJ, Yodh AG: Wavelength censoring for spectroscopy in optical functional neuroimaging. Phys Med Biol. 66(6): 065026, Mar 2021.
Baker WB, Flanders TM, Ko TS, Andersen KN, Jahnavi J, Flibotte JJ, Licht DJ, Yodh AG, White BR, Lang SS, Heuer GG: Neurosurgical shunting in neonatal hydrocephalus increased cerebral perfusion only in patients with elevated intracranial pressure. SPIE BiOS Optical Tomography and Spectroscopy of Tissue XIV 11639: 1163917, Mar 2021.
Lafontant A, Bergonzi K, Forti R, Shah R, Wang L, Ko T, Yodh A, Arkles J, Balu R, Kofke A, Baker WB. White BR, Gabrielli EM: Critical closing pressure monitoring using diffuse correlation spectroscopy in cardiac ablation patients. SPIE BiOS Optical Tomography and Spectroscopy of Tissue XIV 11639: 1163913, Mar 2021.